Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

In chaotic space, Yan Zaizen and the realmship was shrouded by a silver barrier. Within this barrier, the ripping effect of chaotic space was nullified. At the moment, Yan Zaizen had his brows so furrowed that they were almost vertical.

"What the hell is this thing?" He held the ’Xiuhei - Heaven’ token in his hand. He didn’t understand the importance of it, but an extremely powerful cultivator brought a group of heavenly cultivators to obtain it.

He recalled how it revealed a soul and spatial energy fusion before they arrived. As someone who comprehends spatial and soul laws, he deduced somethings upon recollection. This seems to a remote talisman, when activated, it can be tracked and honed on. It was also possible for the token to formulate a spatial tunnel or at least the initial stages of one. Another side would corroborate to fully establish the tunnel.

"I’m not sure, but this token isn’t worthless. I don’t know who this Ma Xiuren is, but she nearly got you hurt or worse." Pinaka remarked with faint anger radiating from her tone.

"...I don’t think that was her intention. I feel it’s more complicated than that." Yan Zaizen calmly responded as the image of the young seven or eight-year-old girl flashed in his mind. At the last time they met, Yan Zaizen only had the strength of a peak-True Essence expert.

Not to mention, Sirius Titan Realm was too far away from the Xiantu Realm. Without a realmship, who knew how long it would actually take to arrive in the Sirius Titan Realm? After all, Lang Xue, a heavenly expert, used six centuries to arrive in the Deluge Realm.

"..." Pinaka didn’t say anything in response. Yan Zaizen’s instincts were exceptionally powerful. If she were to argue with him on this, it’ll be solely based on her own selfish objective. Therefore, she remained silent.

Yan Zaizen analyzed the token a few more times, then stored it away in the Meteor Ring. Checking up on Bai Lufeng, Tao, and Lang Xue. He realized that Lang Xue was still unconscious while Tao acted as her guardian while he cultivated. Bai Lufeng was still in his cultivation session, as if all this didn’t happen.

"This woman had a soul seal embedded in her soul flame, it’s affecting her instincts and beliefs." Pinaka’s words contained some dissatisfaction but also a little pity. This type of soul seal is truly befitting a ’true slave’. They would subconsciously believe themselves inferior, have instincts to never defy their masters, and can’t even commit suicide.

"Can it be undone?" Yan Zaizen asked curiously.

"Yes. If your soul cultivation base reached the Perfect Astral Soul Realm. However, even the weakest could rival a seventh-floor Heavenly Genesis expert."

"...Unfortunate." Yan Zaizen muttered. Well, he couldn’t help her even if he wanted to. Five hundred thousand heavenly drops were something he could afford, especially after obtaining three more skyships during the sub-realm collapse, but something he was unwilling to.

Ultimately, Lang Xue wasn’t his friend or lover. That was like a wealthy man who helped give a woman bus fair suddenly decide to give her ten million dollars to set her up for life. He may be able to, but will he?

"The Elysian Realm is nearly a century of travel away," Yan Zaizen softly commented. After the events in the sub-realm, his desire to talk to his parents had only deepened in intensity. However, when he thought about leaving, it was as if something inaudibly screamed towards him in great warning.

"God damn instincts..." He fiercely cursed. He was unable to tell if it was related towards the Elysian Realm or leaving the Sirius Titan Realm. Perhaps it was both? His instincts have been driving him this far, but it was just so unclear. It was similar to when he felt benefit from purchasing Lang Xue or the air of calamity from the Xiantu Emperor.

"...As a non-entity, your instincts should be far greater than other beings. Your connection with the heavens is the purest and most untainted. You even comprehended a concept of time, so sensing characteristics of the future isn’t impossible," Pinaka responded. She could feel his chaotic emotions through their connection.

He knew she was telling the truth. After he refined his body with heavenly law liquid, his instincts were getting stronger. Not only could he peer into events, he was capable of guessing Lang Xue’s intent and Xiantu Emperor’s malicious intent. The only issue he had was with Yu Shi. He was excellent at hiding his desires and intent to an absolutely abnormal level. It was his Dao which made sense.

While in thought, he looked at Tao. He felt strange. Recently, Tao had been changing. He cultivated relentlessly and was progressing quickly. He would also reveal strange emotions when Lang Xue was involved. He had a faint belief that Tao had fallen for Lang Xue, but he also felt that wasn’t the complete case.

Sending a soul transmission, "Brother Tao, what do you think we should do given the situation?" After he fully explained their circumstances, including the token and the possibility they would continue being hunted, he was truly curious what Tao’s answer would be. Regardless of his events, Tao had a greater degree of intelligence than him.

Tao was silent for a while, thinking deeply on the subject. After a while, "Leaving has its merits, but if they truly desire this odd token, they should already have something set up to prevent us from taking it elsewhere. We should stay here. The Grand Sirius has inheritances for me, you, and Bai Lufeng." He paused briefly, looking at the unconscious Lang Xue, "however, we shouldn’t help her any further. Lang Xue should be dropped off as soon as possible. Then, we can cultivate wholeheartedly without distractions. When we’re satisfied, we could enter the Grand Sirius to seek inheritances."

"..." He marveled at his choice. Tao’s pursuit of strength had risen dramatically, it could be related to his dao’s influence or the events they dealt with since leaving. After all, Lang Xue was a reminder of his weakness, and as someone who almost suffered her fate due to a heavenly oath, it was a constant one at that.

If you want to live a free life, relying on yourself is the only true course of action.

"Mhm." Yan Zaizen agreed. He left a strand of spiritual sense on Lang Xue’s body and sent her out of chaotic space. When she exited, the spiritual sense nudged her soul to awaken. With this, she’ll be able to decide her own fate for now on.

"In chaotic space, time flows inconsistently. With my cultivation into time laws, I can control the time flow here. Two years can amount to two hundred years, at most." Yan Zaizen’s Temporal Winds of Eternal Change enabled him to change the rate at which time flows. In chaotic space, this law was increased by a hundred-fold in strength.

Tao wasn’t shocked. He knew that Yan Zaizen cultivated in this space and its odd environment. Unfortunately, during travel, he never had the time to enter with him. In truth, chaotic space wasn’t that useful. Yan Zaizen was a non-entity, so his understanding into laws was unprecedented.

However, if one tried to cultivate other heavenly laws in chaotic space, they would find it incomparably difficult with the chaotic time, ever-ripping force, and lack of essence. Furthermore, it only expedites your cultivation in relation to the real world. It doesn’t actually have many uses in the cultivation world as a whole. Combat and usage of your laws, arts, or worldly experiences were the main method to advance in cultivation outside of the Essence Path.

This was perfectly represented by Ya Qinqan’s success, Lin Feilin’s growth by competing with Ya Qinqan or Sun Huan breakthrough in the restaurant at Sky Night Royal City.

Yan Zaizen was just an irregularity towards all these disadvantages.

Tao nodded his head in understanding. With the resources Yan Zaizen obtained from his exploits, perhaps in two hundred years, reaching the peak-Essence Realm was possible. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Path required law comprehension, and he wasn’t close. This was why he and Bai Lufeng needed to obtain some inheritances.

"Mhm." Yan Zaizen sat on the deck, in the lotus position, with closed eyes. "My True Essence cultivation is far too slow. I think...I should focus on one of the two aspects: Immortal Herculean Method and Bloodline." He softly muttered to himself. He had two bloodlines, mimicry and those swirling black holes.

He knew that, for those black holes, he could devour and consume any material of a physical, spiritual, or essence nature. That would then be converted to their respective energy sources and added to his body. This energy can be used for refinement of the body, soul, or replenishment of his true-essence. He just didn’t know how far and by how much he could devour or consume.

He wasn’t too sure what the essence nature meant. He knew it encapsulated heavenly essence, but even if he consumed it, he didn’t feel any direct change. It was as if it went into a bottomless well. He imagined it was because it was too weak.

As for Mimicry, it was very low-key. It relied heavily on his cultivation base. It seems capable of replicating features near perfectly. It can turn his true-essence into any known attribute or even replicate concepts. However, the greater the mimicry target, the less true-to-source it becomes making it considerably weaker. He tried to mimic the black holes but besides aura and appearance, it could do nothing more.

He even tried mimicking heavenly law liquid, but it was only the case in appearance. It couldn’t even gain its aura. Yan Zaizen felt that the reason aura was gained for the black hole was because it was connected to his soul as well.

"You should focus on your body cultivation first," Pinaka suggested. To her, Yan Zaizen’s bloodline was a mystery that will slowly, very slowly reveal itself. As for the mimicry bloodline, it was far too underwhelming. Barely any bloodlines pertaining to laws are actually focused upon by heavenly cultivators. After all, unlike body or soul, it can’t grow in strength without comprehension into that law. The moment it exceeded the Force level, the bloodline wasn’t worth anything.

It was only useful as a guide to reach the perfect-Force level.

"The Celestial Herculean Physique, open the eight celestial gates that defined heavenly restriction on the Mortal Body. I never understood this...people can refine their bodies to incredible, near limitless levels, what restrictions are there?" In the myriad realms, vital energy can be enhanced to rival heavenly cultivators. This was a fact.

Yet, this method wished to break limits that didn’t exist? He truly didn’t understand it. It may sound impressive but it was just as confusing.

"Incorrect. Vital energy cultivation is the Bodily Path, it focuses on increasing the intensity of the energy in each physical cell. When utilized, it can give one the sense of having a strong physical body. However, that’s energy reliant. The trial you were in restricted that, and so, all failed as a result. The energy of the body may be cultivated to great heights, but the fleshy body can only be cultivated to a certain point under the heavenly laws."

"For example, the size of the cells, the amount of energy the cells can store, the strength of the vital organs, the abilities of the vital organs, and more. Physical limitations that vital energy can’t support. For example, your soul regalia enhanced brain and senses, lifeforce and soulforce producing heart, and lungs that could breathe in chaotic space or any substance to convert into deathly aura."

"All of these exceed the standards of your race’s physical capabilities," Pinaka explained. She had been thoroughly studying the Immortal Herculean Method and found that its profoundness was incredible. By all intents and purposes, Yan Zaizen was a Lycah. However, he was also a Herculean. An undefined race with unique characteristics based on specific and near unreplicable circumstances.

"So, I open the first gate, then what? My regalia enhanced organs increase in ability?" He couldn’t help but ask. The Immortal Herculean Method truly was incredibly profound. He still didn’t understand the concept of it.

"According to the method, yes and more." She answered calmly.

He pondered slightly on the possibilities if it did. Somehow, he grew incredibly excited. "Alright! Let’s find out." He didn’t know how strong his physique would become after, but he was sure it wouldn’t be anything less than spectacular.

"Oh! Wait," Yan Zaizen’s eyes twinkled and pulled out an object. "I feel I should handle this first."